The Game of Life
by dancerbaby414
Summary: AU. Hermione returns to Hogwarts a smidge early before her seventh year. Someone else shows up too. They share a few Muggle moments, and it will change their life forever.


The Game of Life

_The Game of Life_

Chapter One: The Start of the Beginning

I, Hermione Granger, have had the same philosophy about life since I understood what a philosophy was. I have always thought that everything that happened to you was planned out ahead of you. Everyone had their own path. Paths that never had many twists or turns. You never strayed from you path. Maybe for some people, that is true. It is not true for me, and I should have realized that as soon as I found out I was a witch. However, I didn't really know until years later.

…

Hermione Granger was jogging through her quiet neighborhood. She was in shorts and a tank top. She'd been receiving a few honks from high school guys driving around. They didn't remember her. She wasn't exactly the bushy haired, know-it-all any more.

In the past few years Hermione had changed into a woman. Her hair, no longer frizzy, was tamed and was in springy curls that barely reached her shoulders. Her eyes almost seemed to lighten with wisdom and knowledge. They were now more of a honey color than the dark brown everyone seemed to remember. Her five foot three stature was lean and fit. Her curves were slightly more prominent. Hermione wasn't as hesitant to show them anymore either. Why should she be?

Hermione turned right and jogged up her street. She slowed as she neared her driveway. She proceeded up the driveway and entered her large Victorian style home. She entered her country decorated kitchen to find one of her favorite professor's speaking with her parents. "Professor McGonagall? What are you doing here?" Hermione stuttered, remembering her sweaty and unprofessional appearance. She blushed, 'All I wanted was a water bottle.'

Professor McGonagall seemed unperturbed by Hermione's gross appearance. "Hermione," she smiled. "I was just telling your parents that you have been selected to be Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Head Girl this year."

Hermione gasped. "Thank you." Was all she could manage to say.

Professor McGonagall's face seemed to turn less happy. "Considering the circumstances of current events in the Wizarding World,

I was hoping to see you come to Hogwarts a little early… say today for example."

"We don't mind, Hermione." Her mother said softly.

"Of course I'll come." Hermione assured her professor quickly.

Within next hour or so, Hermione had taken a quick shower and packed all her belongings into her magically expanded trunk.

Hermione said goodbye to her parents and hugged them. She flooed to Hogwarts behind what she learned was the new Headmistress.

Hermione toppled ungracefully out of the fireplace and landed on her bottom. She stood up quickly knowing there would soon be a large bruise.

"Hermione, I'll leave you to get settled in and unpack. You'll be living in the Head's Quarters now. You and the Head Boy will share a common room, a small kitchen area, and a bathroom. You will, of course, each have your own bedroom. Your bedroom is upstairs to the left. The password into the quarters is currently 'Happy Birthday, Santa.' After I collect the Head Boy you may change it. Now, I must go and retrieve the Head Boy. Good day, Miss Granger."

During McGonagall's speech they had walked to the Head's quarters. Hermione took careful mental not of where the entrance to the rooms was and everything McGonagall had told her about.

…

Hermione was standing outside a portrait of the Hogwart's crest. She whispered the password wondering who on Earth made it up.

When she walked into the common room, Hermione was in awe. The walls were pale blue, and all the furniture was beige. There was a large couch and a couple arm chairs. The floor was a dark colored wood and the coffee tables all matched it. Hermione proceeded up the stairs, on the right, and opened the large wooden door.

Hermione was so shocked she dropped her trunk with a resounding thud. The floor was a soft light tan color. The headboard of the bed, the nightstand, the desk, the bookcase, the dresser, and the mirror were all a very light wood. They had pastel colored flowers painted on them, but the flowers were faded. The walls were a pale, rich green. Everything else in the room was in pastels. Pink, blue, purple, and yellow were accented in everything. Hermione loved it. She smiled wide and began to upack.

It took Hermione fifteen minutes to realize she didn't know who the Head Boy was. She was upset that she hadn't thought to ask; however, it only took a grand total of thirty minutes for Hermione to unpack, thanks to magic of course.

Hermione didn't want to sit and just wait so she decided to do something she hadn't done in quite some time.

…

Hermione Granger was an only child. She had grown up with no siblings to play with. When she was especially bored, she would pull out a board game and play all by herself. She would always have 'two-players' though. Both of these players were herself.

Today, at seventeen years of age, Hermione pulled out _The Game of Life_. That was her favorite game as a child. She began to set the game up, ready to beat… herself. Hermione was ready to spin the wheel for the first turn of the game when she heard the portrait foor open and shut.

…

I, Blaise Zabini, am not a man of philosophies. I believe that what happens happens. What is the piont of analyzing why something happened? I've always thought like that. I wish I hadn't. I wish I had thought about why things happened. If I had, my life could have played out a lot differently than it did.

…

Blaise Zabini looked up from his book when he heard the doorbell ring. A moment later a house elf popped into Blaise's room.

"Master, you has a guest." Sniffy squeaked.

"Who is it?" Blaise said, as if he were bored.

"A lady, sir. She says she has a surprise for you."

Blaise's eyebrow wrinkled. That sounded… odd. Blaise shook his head and began the trek to the living room to greet his guest.

As he approached the living room, Blaise heard muggled noises. He hoped his mother wasn't embarrassing him. He opened the door to see Professor McGonagall with one raised eyebrow, talking to his mother.

Blaise looked a lot like his mother. He was tall, six foot. He had black wavy hair. He was handsome, very handsome. His eyes were intrancing. They were violet. No one was quite sure why, but what was, was.

"Professor?" Blaise questioned.

"Oh, hello, Blaise!"

Before he knew it, Blaise was packed up and falling out of the fireplace at Hogwarts, clutching a Head Boy badge. He had his usual bored expression on as McGonagall gave him the speech and showed him to the portrait of the Hogwarts crest.

Blaise said the password and opened the portrait door. After a second he heard shuffling from another room. Blaise pulled out his wand and quickly ran to the door he had heard it from. He burst through the door and pointed his wand at the first thing he saw move.

"Paranoid much?" it muttered.

Blaise slowly lowered his wand as he realized that this must be the Head Girl.

…

It would be an understatement to say that I was surprised to see _Blaise Zabini _as Head Boy. Later, I knew it wasn't so shocking. It would also be… untruthful to say it did not scare the hell out of me when he burst through the door ready to hex me.

…

I hadn't know that I was Head Boy for very long when I was about to hex the balls off of her. Not that she has balls… at least I would hope not. Anyway, in that short amount of time I hadn't even realized there would be a Head _Girl_. Well, I knew… but I didn't know. You know?

…

"Sorry." Blaise mumbled, putting his wand in the back pocket of his jeans.

"It's alright." Hermione said, realizing she was wearing only jean shorts and a black tank top and that she hadn't said four words to this boy in more than six years.

"Granger? Is that you?"

"Yep." Hermione tried not to laugh at his shock.

"Whoa… I never realized how… hott you were." Blaise said, looking her up and down.

The Hermione of a few months ago probably would have blushed and gone and changed into sweat pants. However, the Hermione of right now wasn't embarrassed. She just laughed and said thanks.

Hermione got out two glasses from the cabinet and looked at Blaise. 'He's not so bad.' Hermione thought.

Hermione smiled. "You've got a nice bum. Soda?"

"What's a soda?" Blaise asked.

"You've never had soda?" Hermione was shocked. 'I guess it's a Muggle thing.'

"No, what is it?" For the first time in his life, Blaise felt stupid. He never felt stupid before.

"It's… I can't explain it. You're just going to have to try it." Hermione opened the Muggle refridgerator and took out two cans of soda. Blaise jumped slightly when she opened the can. Hermione held back another laugh. She poured them each a glass and placed Blaise's in front of him.

"What… What do I do?" Blaise asked as though he had no patience for this.

"You drink it!"

"Oh." Blaise lifted the glass and eyed the contents carefully. It was dark and had bubbles in it. He swirled it around a bit and took a sip. Blaise was amazed at what happened. It… fizzed in his mouth and all the way down his throat. It was like nothing he ever had before. It was amazing, delicious, and _addicting_. Within ten minutes, Blaise had about seven cans of the hard stuff. That's right, Dr. Pepper.

Hemrione was amazed. She never noticed that Bl…Zabini was never part of the Slytherin group that tormented her and her friends. She never noticed that she hadn't heard rumors of him or his family being Death Eaters. Hermione did notice how _nice_ Bla… _Zabini_ seemed now. She also noticed how he didn't detest Muggle drinks.

…

A/N: This is totally AU. I've had about half of this storry written for a long time and the other half outlined. I just never got around to doing anything more with it. Tonight I was inspired.

Review please. Love, Shannon


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